Tiger Woods talked this week about not wanting his foes to see him hurting when he essentially was playing on one leg in the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines.

Apparently, umbrellas are considered a sign of weakness too.

The rain came down in fits and starts on Friday in the second round of the Farmers Insurance Open, but Woods acted as if his black sweater was made of otter fur. Near the round’s end, fellow competitor Rickie Fowler offered him some cover with his umbrella.

Woods would later explain to reporters, “Hey, you can only get wet once, right? Once you’re wet, you’re wet. Deal with it.”

Something tells us Woods was making a statement. Torrey Pines is his house, and he wasn’t going to let a little rain dripping through the roof reach the punchbowl of this party.

It has taken nearly five years, but Woods is back in a familiar place in San Diego, atop the leaderboard and looking poised for a big weekend. In shooting 7-under-par 65 on the North Course to get to 11-under overall, the world’s No. 2 player gave himself a two-stroke lead at the Farmers midpoint.

Only once has Woods led the tournament through 36 holes, and he closed that one in 2008 – the last halfway leader to do so at Torrey Pines.

Billy Horschel, a 26-year-old former member of the U.S. Walker Cup team, scored a 3-under 69 on the South Course to move into solo second. Horschel and the six people behind him who are tied for third all have something in common – they have never won a PGA Tour event, while Woods has captured seven titles at Torrey Pines alone.

In the tour media guide, Horschel lists Woods as his favorite athlete to watch, and he’ll get a very close look at him on Saturday in his first-ever pairing with the 14-time major winner. Casey Wittenberg (67, North Course), last year’s leading money winner on the Web.com Tour at age 28, is the third in the group.

“It’s going to be exciting,” Horschel said. “He’s one of those golfers of the many I’ve looked up to as a young kid.”

If that makes Woods feel old at 37, consider that Horschel was 12 when Woods won for the first time as a pro at Torrey Pines in 1999. Since then, Woods has seized five more regular tour titles and the U.S. Open here.

Through two rounds, this one certainly has the feel of another Woods triumph, though over the last couple of seasons he has shown he can be vulnerable to the weekend wobbles. He’s failed to convert on four of his last six chances while leading after 36.

Right now, however, he looks extremely confident in every facet.

“I think it’s the practice sessions more than anything,” Woods said. “I’ve had beautiful practice sessions at home. If I can do it there, I can do it out here.”